Tandem Arylation/Friedel‐Crafts Reaction of O‐Hydroxy Bisbenzylic Alcohols with Diaryliodonium Salts: One Pot Synthesis of Unsymmetrical 9‐Arylxanthenes

A one-pot synthesis of 9-arylxanthenes from easily prepared o-hydroxy bisbenzylic alcohols and diaryliodonium salts has been reported. O-hydroxy bisbenzylic alcohols were utilized to generate carbinols in situ with diaryliodonium salts promoted by base. Carbinols were then subjected to Bronsted acid catalyzed cyclization to furnish 9-arylxanthenes. A variety of symmetrical and unsymmetrical 9-aryxanthenes have been prepared assisted by base and Bronsted acid under mild conditions with satisfactory yields (up to 95 % yield). Furthermore, the procedure is capable of tolerating a wide range of substrates (36 examples).